An element of art concerned with the degree of lightness of colors. Darker colors are lower in value.

Shading

Variations in the dark and light values of color help make objects look solid.

Spectrum

Bands of colored light created when white light is passed through a prism. Also, the full range of colors (the rainbow).

Hue

Identifies a color, tells you what it is.

Primary Colors

The three basic colors - red, yellow, blue - from which it is possible to mix all the other colors.

Secondary Colors

Colors that result from a mixture of two primary colors. On the twelve-color wheel - orange, green, and violet.

Intermediate Colors

Hues that lie between the primary and secondary colors on the color wheel. They are yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet, and red-orange.

Complimentary Colors

Two colors that are directly opposite of each other on the color wheel, meaning they are in extreme contrast with each other. Red and green are complementary color as are orange and blue and so on.

Monochromatic

One color that is modified by changing the values and saturation of the hue by additions of black and white (the tints and shades of one color).

Analogous

Colors next to each other on the color wheel and are closely related such as yellow/yellow-orange, yellow-green/green, etc.

Intensity

Is the brightness or dullness of a color (also called its saturation). High-intensity colors are bright: low-intensity colors are dull. Mixing color with its complement results in a duller color while colors straight from the bottle or tube tend to be bright.

Color Harmonies

Combinations of colors that create satisfying or startling effects when placed together.

Warm Colors

Those hues found in the right side of the color wheel such as red, yellow, and orange make us think of hot things such as the sun and fire.

Cool Colors

Those colors found on the right side of the color wheel such as blue, green and violet that remind us of cool things such as leafy trees, cool water, and shade.

Color

An art element with three properties: hue, value, and intensity.

Tints

Light values of color (white).

Shades

Darker values of a color (black).

Composition

The act of organizing the elements of an artwork into a harmoniously unifies whole.

Outline

A line that surrounds a shape. The most basic kind if descriptive line.

Contour Line

Lines that define the outer edges of forms and surfaces within a form, such as shapes of wrinkles and folds. Used in contour drawings to suggest depth and width.

Weighted Lines

Also, define the outer edges of shapes but vary in thickness and darkness. They too give a greater sense of depth to the object.

Expressive Line

Lines that are produced to express an idea, mood, or quality (for example, graceful, nervous, delicate, aggressive, etc.). These types of lines send us messages about what the artist wants his or her work to make us feel. Abstract lines, which are expressive, may not show us objects we recognize, but can still create a feeling for us.